Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Who doesn't love tulips?The colors of the flowers, the green speary leaves, the neatness of their petals, all combine to make a most pleasing appearance. Tulips, third most popular flower in the world, come in 3000 varieties, some striped, some frilly, all beautiful and colorful.

Tulips have inspired many artists: Jan Brueghel the Elder, Hans Bollongier, and the prolific Anonymous, whose painting represents the most expensive tulip sold during the "tulip mania" that struck Holland in the 1630's, at the height of which, a single bulb sold for an amount that would have "clothed and [fed] an entire Dutch family for half a lifetime" (James Grout).

In the language of flowers, tulips represent "perfect love"; their black center is a lover's heart, "darkened by the heat of passion." I love tulips; with peonies and ranunculus (oh, and lilacs), they are my favorite flowers. They are extremely photogenic and lend themselves to the kind of treatment I enjoy -- here, I'm working on making them look like old botanical illustrations. Elegant in their simplicity, they are beautiful heralds of the spring. Stay tuned for more tulip portraits, later today.

Elise - Just back here to tell you that I have an Umbrella Cockatoo! His name is Riley, he was 7 in Dec., and he is a serious snuggle muffin!! Oh, and he's LOUD too, but I am guessing you know what that's like with a Moluccan!! :-)

I read that the best way to make cut tulips last is to trim them after unwrapping them and then plunge them into a vase filled with cold water and ice cubes. Kind of how to keep a new love from burning out right away - chill!

Who's Talking to You?

Elise Ann Wormuth

I am a retired college English professor who has reinvented herself as a fine art photographer, watercolor painter, and genealogist (among other things). I've spent my working life teaching other people to write, and now I will take some time to get back to writing myself.